Beneath the Dais
by AlwaysJacob
Summary: During the Battle in the Department of Mysteries, an unexpected connection is made.
1. Chapter 1

*_Harry shook his head, trying to catch his bearings. There was too much light, too much sound, too much movement. He sat up and saw members of the Order heavy in battle with the Death Eaters.

*_Moody was stepping over a fallen Death Eater whose mask had fallen off. Sirius and Lupin were laughing, back to back, firing off spells at anything that moved. Kingsley was taking on two Death Eaters by himself. Harry turned around as a loud bang shook the room, causing chunks of stone to fall from the arch.

*_The spell had come from Bellatrix Lestrange, who was expertly firing spell after spell at Tonks, backing her young niece onto the dais.

*_"Expelliarmus!" screamed Bellatrix.

*_Harry saw it coming before Tonks did. Perhaps before even Bellatrix, herself, did. While Tonks' eyes followed her wand as it flew high in the air, Harry watched the tip of Bellatrix's wand shine green and saw her lips wrapping around the curse.

*_At the last moment, Harry tackled Tonks, knocking her off the dais a split second before Bellatrix's curse hit the archway, causing it to explode; What sounded like thousands of screams ripped through the air as rock and dust rained on everyone.

*_Sirius and Lupin spun together and aimed a double spell at Bellatrix, watching the maniacal grin slide from her lifeless face.

*_But Harry didn't hear the screams of the dead or laughter of lifelong friendship. He didn't see the green flash or the falling body of Voldemort's best warrior. He didn't feel the explosion, or the resulting storm of debris. He only saw Tonks; her heart shaped face, shining with sweat. The only sounds were the synchronized beats of their pulses. There was no feeling except his lips pressed to hers. Her hands in his hair. The flood of relief, knowing he had gotten there in time. And the overwhelming feeling that this was just the beginning.


	2. Chapter 2

*_Harry and Tonks pulled apart and felt the ground shaking as a scream filled the air. The voice seemed to come from everywhere, and yet inside Harry's head at the same time.

*_"Not to worry." Came Dumbledore's voice from the doorway leading to the revolving room. "Our old friend Tom Riddle has just been dealt a serious blow."

*_"I'm Sirius." Sirius said.

*_Everyone laughed as Dumbledore continued. "He has gone for now, but I imagine he will return with a vengeance. But we'll worry about that when the time comes."

*_Harry stood and Tonks accepted his offered hand up. "Now we just have to find a way to waste time until then." She said, grinning.

*_"I can think of a few things." said Harry, kissing her again.

*_"Can't you find a more private place for that?" Mad Eye said, turning away.

*_"Don't mind if we do." Sirius said, grabbing Lupin's hand. "We'll be somewhere nobody can find us in case you need us."

*_"Come on Alaster." Kingsley said. "Let us go check on the other children. Harry seems to be in more than capable hands."

*_Their way out was suddenly blocked by Fudge. "What the devil?! Dumbledore! You-Know-Who was just - Potter?!" He stammered.

*_Dumbledore put a supporting hand on his shoulder. "Cornelius, my dear minister, we have some things to discuss."

*_The room slowly emptied of members of the Order while Aurors filed in to collect the fallen Death Eaters.

*_Harry and Tonks made their way to the Atrium with everyone else where emergancy Healers were attending his friends.

*_"Harry?" came a weak voice to his right.

*_"Hermione." he said, kneeling next to here, still holding Tonks' hand. "Are you alright?"

*_Hermione seemed not to hear his question. "Did you kiss her?"

*_Harry blushed, but Tonks answered with a smile, "Kissed me proper."

*_"Good one, Harry." Hermione said efore closing her eyes. Harry watched to make sure her chest was still moving.

*_"She's just asleep." Tonks said, pulling Harry to his feet. "Now come on. Let's see if there's some way to keep us awake."


	3. Chapter 3

**As requested, a little longer of a chapter. (This one's for you, Lou.)**

*_Tonks took Harry back to headquarters at Grimmauld Place. They walked in to find the house quiet, dark and quite empty. She shut the door behind them with a snap. Immediately, the portrait of Mrs. Black flared up.

*_"FILTH! FREAK OF NATURE! DEFILING THE HOUSE OF MY FATHERS WITH YOUR-"

*_Tonks gave a casual flick of her wand, and the curtains closed on the portrait, silencing the screams. "Freak of nature?" she said, raising an eyebrow to Harry, "She has no idea."

*_Harry swallowed hard as she took his hand, leading him up the stairs. Images and smells and the sort of thoughts that made his face turn Weasley red started forming in his mind. He felt a sudden heat rising in him that he was sure had nothing to do with his shyness.

*_As they reached the first landing, Tonks paused with her hand his bedroom door handle. Harry, unaware of her distraction, bumped into her.

*_"I like your enthusiasm, Harry," she said, flashing him an impish smile, "but you'll have to hold that thought." She pointed up to the ceiling.

*_Harry looked up, and listened. Now he heard the slight thump. Both drew their wands and Tonks lead the way to the top landing. "It's coming from the attic." she said, pointing her wand at the ladder.

*_Harry held his wand at the ready. The attic was where Buckbeak stayed. But Hagrid had taken Buckbeak to Amsterdam to meet a "Little lady friend." And hippogriffs didn't make the kinds of sounds issuing from the hole in the ceiling. It sounded to Harry as though a struggle was taking place.

*_He watched Tonks put a finger to her lips and slowly climb the ladder. Her pink hair had barely crossed the threshold when she withdrew it, covering her mouth. Harry was confused at she failed to suppress a giggle. Harry, curiousity overcoming him, made his way up.

*_He peaked his head in, just far enough for the frames of his glasses to be above floor level. He looked toward the direction of the scuffle, and for a moment felt cold fear. This was followed immediately by embarrassment. It wasn't a fight to the death. Instead, Harry saw Sirius and Lupin engaged in the kind of battle where both parties end up the victor.

*_He wanted to leave, to run away, to possibly wash his eye to get the image of Sirius' nude body moving in wild motion with Lupin's. But he couldn't force himself to break away. He was only vaguely aware of Tonks tugging the bottom of his shirt from below.

*_"Oi Harry!" Tonks said loudly, "Get a picture while your up there, will you?"

*_Harry's green eyes grew large as Sirius and Lupin turned to look toward Tonks' voice and made to cover themselves. "Harry!" Lupin exclaimed. "We were just..."

*_"Hush Moony," said Sirius, who contrary to Lupin's shock, was still smiling as he brushed his hair out of his face. "Didn't hear you come in."

*_Tonks answered from below, "Well with all the noise you were making, that's understandable."

*_Harry quickly climbed down as Sirius barked a laugh.

*_"Merlin's beard, that was awkward." he said to Tonks. "You could've told me."

*_"I thought you might like to pick up some pointers." she said, still holding back a giggling fit.

*_"What makes you think I need pointers?" Harry said evenly, causing Tonks to become silent as she considered his serious tone.

*_"Hello?" Came Dumbledore's voice from downstairs. "DIRTY BLOOD TRAITORS! MUDBLOODS AND UNNATURAL BEASTS!" came Mrs. Black's portrait.

*_Sirius decended the ladder, followed by Lupin, who avoided Harry's eyes. "It's getting to where you can't even get a shag without everyone showing up to cheer you on."

*_"In all fairness, Padfoot, you were supposed to lock the door."

*_"We'll just have to finish later." Sirius winked at Lupin before turning to Harry. "What are the two of you doing here? I imagine Dumbledore's come to return you to school, Harry."

*_"We were coming to find some er... privacy of our own." he said, flushing red again.

*_Sirius have him a clap on the back. "Spoken like your father's son. Come on Moony, let us go see what distractions we can give the old man."

*_Lupin and Sirius started down the stairs before Sirius turned back to Tonks, "Oh, did I ever tell you that I had a weak spot in my wall, to the right side of my bed?" he asked with a twinkle in his eye. "Convenient when I needed to get away for a while without drawing attention."

*_With a wink, he made his way to the front hall, while Tonks dragged Harry to Sirius' bedroom.


End file.
